Garment bags



H. A. ENRICH GARMENT BAGS Mann 29, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 13, 1952 HENRY A. Emepcn Gtomeg Y March` 29, 1955 H. A. ENRlcH GARMENT -BAGS Filed Aug. 13, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nventor HENRY A. NRICH Gttorneg United States Patent() GARMENT BAGS Henry A. Enrich, New York, N. Y., assignor to Henry A. Enrich & Co. Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 13, 1952, Serial No. 304,068 7 Claims. (Cl. 312-3) This invention relates to garment bags. It is particularly directed to a traveling garment bag with means to support clothes hangers.

An object of this invention is to provide a garment bag of the character described, having highly improved means for releasably locking the garment hangers within the bag so as to keep the garments on the'hangers in predetermined spacings.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide in a garment bag of the character described, a bag, a frame within the upper end of the bag, a transverse corrugated bar supported at the middle of the frame on which the garment hangers are to be hooked, a second corrugated bar movable toward and away from the first corrugated bar to clamp the hooks of the hangers thereto,lmeans for locking the second corrugated bar in clamping position, means to quickly release the second bar, and means to pull the second bar away from the first bar so that the garment hangers may be readily unhooked.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a strong, rugged and durable device of the character described, which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to manipulate, sure and positive in action, and safe and eicient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in partA be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out. 1

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of invention will be indicated in the following claims;Y

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown various illustrative embodiments of this invention:

Fig. l is a front perspective view of a garment bag embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through the garment bag and the supporting frame therefor;

Fig. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view through the upper end of the garment bag and showing the locking bar in locked position;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the locking bar in released position;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating a modified construction;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 8--8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but illustrating yet another modified construction;

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9`

Fig. 1l is a crosssectional view taken on the line 11-11 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 9 and illustrating still another modified construction;

Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional View taken on the line 1313 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 14-14 of Fig. 12; and

Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 15-15 of Fig. 12.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 to 5, the numeral 10 designates a garment bag embodying the invention. The same comprises a bag 11 of Patented Mar. 29, 1955 liexible material having a top wall 12, side walls 13, a front wall 14 and a rear wall 15 and a bottom wall 16. The front wall 14 may be provided with a U-shaped slit closed by slider actuating fasteners designated by the numeral 17. The slider actuating fastener 17 forms a central large flap 18 which may be pulled down after the slider fasteners are opened so that garments may be inserted into the bag or removed therefrom.

Within the top of the bag 11 is a combination frame and garment hanger support member 20 embodying the invention. Said member 20 comprises a top frame member 21 made of wire. Frame member 21 comprises a pair of top parallel portions 22 from which extend downwardly and outwardly inclined portion 23 interconnected by end portions 24. The frame member 21 may correspond generally to the shape of the top of the bag. At the centers of portions 22 are downwardly extending loop portions 25. Supported on the loop portions 25 is a transverse member 26 for supporting hooks 27 of garment hangers on which garments are hung.

Member 26 comprises a pair of vertical portions 28 having rolled over or hooked portions 29 at their upper ends engaging the downwardly looped portions 25. The lower ends of portions 28 are interconnected by corrugated or wavy portions 30 extending transversely of the bag and disposed below the portions 22 of the frame member 21.

lnterconnecting the upper ends of portions 28 is a transverse member 31. Said member 31 may be made of a pair of members 32 having sleeves 33 at their outer ends receiving the upper ends of portions 28 and welded thereto. At the inner ends of members 32 are semicylindrical portions 34. The portions on the opposite side of each portion 34 of one member 31 are contacted and welded or otherwise attached to such portion of the other member 32. Thus the two portions 34 form a sleeve and said sleeve is internally threaded as at 37 for the purpose hereinafter appearing.

Screwed to the internally threaded sleeve 37 is a threaded portion 38 on a shank 39. Shank 39 passes upwardly through an opening 40 of the top wall 12 of the bag. At the upper end of shank 39 is an eye 41 disposed above the bag. Extending downwardly from shank 39 is a reduced shank portion 42. The lower end of the reduced shank portion 42 is loosely riveted as at 43 to a transverse bar 44 which is corrugated or wavy the same as the corrugated or wavy portion 30 of member 26. The ends of the wavy bar 44 are notched as at 45 to receive vertical portions 28, of member 26, for the purpose of guiding member 44 up and down.

Attached to the eye 41 is a hook 50 for hanging a garment bag as a whole on any suitable support. The hook 50 has an eye 51 at its lower end engaging eye 4l. Upon turning the hook 50 about the axis of shank 39, said shank will be rotated.

It will be understood that the threaded portion 38 of the shank 39 may be screwed within the internally threaded portion 37 of the cross member 31 to lock the transverse corrugated or wavy locking bar 44 against the hooks 27 suspended on the wavy cross bar 30. Upon turning hook 50 in an opposite direction, the shank 39 is unscrewed from the sleeve 34 and as soon as it is unscrewed therefrom, the hook 50 may be pulled up for slidably moving the bar 44 away from the wavy portion 30 to quickly release the hangers. In other words, it is only necessary to turn the shank 39 sufficiently to unscrew the threaded portion 38 from the internal threads 37 of the sleeve 34. To unlock the hooks 27 on the cross bar or portion 30, the shank 39 is first pushed down until the threaded portion 38 reaches the sleeve 34; then the hook 50 is turned in a direction for engaging the threads 38 with the internal threads 37 to lock the cross e bar 44 in place.

the hooks 27 on garment hangers on the wavy portion 30 of member 26. The construction of Figs. 6, 7 and 8 will be designated by the numeral 10a. ln the device 10a there is likewise xed to the upstanding portion 28 of member 26 a cross bar 31 having a central sleeve 34 formed with internal screw threads 37. Screwed within the threads 37 is a threaded shank 5S of a member 56. Member 56 has an eye at its upper end engaging the eye 51 of the hook 50 as described above.

Slidably mounted on the parallel vertical portion 28 of member 26 is a transverse locking element SS having sleeves 53a at its ends slidably receiving said portions 25. Member 28 has a wavy or corrugated bottom edge 59 corresponding to wavy portion 30 so as to lock the hooks 27 of the g-arment hangers. Said cross member 58 is formed at its center thereof with an oiset semi-circular portion 60 formed with a longitudinal slot 61. Riveted to the lower end of shank 55 as at 62 is a circular disk 63 passing through the slot 61. lt will now be understood that upon rotating the hooi; 50 in one direction, member 56 will move upwardly within the sleeve 34 to release the locking plate or member 58. Rotation of the hook 50 in an opposite direction will cause the locking plate to move down to lock the hooks of the garment hangers in place.

ln Figs. 9, l and ll, there is shown a modified construction lltlb embodying the invention. The construction 10b likewise, comprises a member 26 as described above. Fixed to the upper ends of portions 28 of said member 26 is a transverse member 64 formed with a central sleeve 65. Extending through the central sleeve 65 is a shank 66 provided with an eye 67 at its upper end engaging the eye 51 of the hook 50.

Fixed to the underside of transverse member 64 is an inclined cam plate 69 formed with a central opening through which the shank 66 passes. Fixed to the shank 66 is an inclined cam plate 70. Loosely riveted to the lower end of the shank 66 is a transverse wavy locking bar 7l. lt will be understood that when the hook 50 is rotated in one direction, the two oppositely inclined plates 69 and 70 will cause the locking bar 71 to be pressed downwardly for locking the garment hangers. Continued rotation of the hook beyond the predetermined point will permit the locking member 71 to move upwardly to release the locking bar.

In Figs. l2, 13 and 14 there is shown a device 10c illustrating yet another modified construction. The device 10c likewise comprises a supporting member 26. Fixed to the upper ends of parallel portions 28 of member 26 is a transverse bar 64 formed with a central sleeve 65. Extending through the sleeve 65 is a shank 80 formed with an eye 81 at its upper end engaging the eye 51 ofthe hook 50. Loosely riveted to the lower end of the shank 80 is a transverse wavy bar 82 corresponding to the wavy portion 30 of member 26. The outer ends of member 82 are notched to receive the vertical portions 28 of member 26. interposed between the outer notched ends of member 82 and the undersides of the outer ends of member 64 are coil compression springs 84 surrounding the vertical portions 28. It will now be understood that an upward pull on hook 50 will move the locking plate 82 away from the wavy portion 30 of member 26. Release of the hook will permit the springs 84 to press the locking member 82 against the hook 27 of garmcnt hangers to lock them in place.

It will be noted that the members 31 or 64 of device 10a, 10b and 10c may be formed with openings to receive hooks 31h interconnected by a handle 31 as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

On the shank 80 is a transverse pin 80a extending in opposite directions. When the shank 80 is pulled up, the pins 80a will pass through longitudinal slots 65a in the sleeve 65. After the pins 80a are above member 64, hook 50 is turned so as to turn the shank 80 to an angle of 90 so that the pins 80a catch on -top of the transverse bar 64 so as to retain the locking member 82 in releasing position. To lock the device, member t) is merely turned through an angle of 90 so as to bring the pins 80a into registering position within slots 65a. Springs 64 will then be able to pull down the shank 80 moving the pins 80a through the slots 65a to effect the locking action.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

vsaid top wall of the garment bag,

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be under-4 stood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative andy not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. In combination with a garment bag, having a top wall, a frame within the upper end of the garment bag and. below said top wall, said frame comprising parallel portions, a member interconnecting said parallel portions, said member comprising a pair of vertical portions attachedat their upper ends to said parallel portions, said vertical :portions being interconnected at their lower ends by a transverse wavy portion on which garment hangers may be hung, a transverse member interconnecting said vertical portions and xed thereto and disposed above said wavy portion and formed with a central sleeve, -a shank passing through said sleeve and through an opening in y a hook connected to the upper end of the shank and disposed above said top wall, members connected to said transverse member and passing through openings in the top wall of the garment bag and interconnected by a handle, and a locking bar connected to the lower end of said shank and movable towards and away from said transverse wavy portion.

2. In combination with claim l, said sleeve having internal screw threads and said shank having a screw threaded portion engaging said internal screw threads.

3. ln combination with a garment bag, having a top wall, a trame within the upper end of the garment bag and below said top wall, said frame comprising parallel portions, a member interconnecting said parallel portions, said member comprising a pair of vertical portions attached at their upper ends to said parallel portions, said vertical portions being interconnected at their lower ends by a transverse wavy portion on which garment hangers may be hung, a member interconnecting said vertical portions and fixed thereto and disposed above said wavy portion and formed with a central threaded sleeve, a shank passing through said sleeve and through an opening in said top wall of the garment bag, a hook connected to the upper end of the shank and disposed above said top wall, members connected to said transverse member and passing through openings in the top wall of the garment bag and interconnected by a handle, and a locking bar connected to the lower end of said shank and movable towards and away from said transverse wavy portion, said shank having a threaded portion engageable with said threaded sleeve and a smooth portion between said threaded portion and the locking bar.

4. A frame for a garment bag comprising a frame member having parallel portions, a member for supporting garment hangers comprising vertical portions connected at their upper ends to said parallel portions, the lower ends of said vertical portions being interconnected by a wavy portion, a transverse member attached at its ends to said vertical portions and being formed with a central internal screw threaded sleeve, a screw threaded shank screwed within said screw threaded sleeve, a transverse locking bar having means at its ends to slidably engage said vertical portions, said locking bar being formed with a slot and a disk at the lower end of the shank rotatable within said slot.

5. A frame for a garment bag, comprising a frame member having parallel portions, a supporting member comprising vertical portions, means at the upper ends of the verticai portions to engage said parallel portions, a wavy portion interconnecting the lower ends of said vertical portions, a transverse member having means at the ends thereof iixed to said vertical portion, said transverse member being formed with a central vertical through opening, a shank passing through said through opening, a wavy locking bar loosely riveted to the lower end of the shank and overlying said wavy portion, means at the ends of the locking bar to slidably engage said vertical portions and interengaging cooperating means on said transverse bar and shank to cause the shank to move up or down upon turning said shank, depending upon the direction of turning.

6. A frame for a garment bag comprising a frame member having parallel portions, a support for garment hangers comprising a pair of vertical portions having means at their upper ends to connect to the parallel portions of said frame, the lower ends of the vertical portions being interconnected by transverse wavy portion, a transverse member having the ends thereof fixed to said vertical portions, said transverse member having a central vertical sleeve, a shank slidably mounted within said sleeve, a wavy locking bar at the lower end of said shank, and coil compression springs surrounding said vertical portions and interposed between the ends of the locking bar and the ends of said transverse bar.

7. A frame for a garment bag comprising a frame member having parallel portions, a support for garment hangers comprising a pair of vertical portions having means at their upper ends to connect to the parallel portions of said frame, the lower ends of the vertical portions being interconnected by transverse wavy portions, a transverse member having the ends thereof xed to said vertical portions, said transverse member having a central vertical sleeve, a shank slidably mounted within said sleeve, a wavy locking bar at the lower end of said shank, and coil compression springs surrounding said vertical portions and interposed between the ends of the locking bar and the ends of said transverse bar, and means on said shank and engageable with said transverse member to retain the locking bar in raised position with the springs compressed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 948,940 Vanderburg Feb. 8, 1910 1,147,019 Henry July 20, 1915 1,695,661 Montague Dec. 18, 1928 2,068,451 Elmore Jan. 19, 1937 2,505,212 Schneider Apr. 25, 1950 2,535,625 Corwin Dec. 26, 1950 2,606,636 Braverman Aug. 12, 

